Bumper pads are often used to cushion the bottom and lower side edges of basketball backboards. The purpose of the bumper pads is to protect a basketball player from injuries. Such injuries may occur when a player's head, hand, or arm strikes the edge of the backboard.
The bumper pads are made of a soft, resilient closed cell rubber material and are designed to absorb the impact between a basketball player and the backboard.
Because the material from which the bumper pads are made is soft, bumper pads are susceptible to scratches and tears caused by the impact of basketball players and basketballs thereon. Further, bumper pads are susceptible to scuffing and discoloration over time.
When bumper pads become sufficiently scratched, torn, scuffed, or discolored, they must be replaced at relatively high cost.
Further, the process of manufacturing and system of distributing such bumper pads is not conducive to custom coloring of the bumper pads.